03 MARCH 2015

On the Move: SecondsOut World Rankings 3/16/14

By Derek Bonnett: This weekend’s WBA/WBC light welterweight title clash between Americans Danny Garcia and Mauricio Herrera was a public relations event. In the current dark times of Puerto Rican boxing, which are eye balling the final stretches in the careers of Miguel Cotto and Juan Manuel Lopez and, perhaps, still digesting the dismissals of Roman Martinez, Luis Orlando Del Valle, Thomas Dulorme, and myriad other island hopefuls, the once prominent boxing powerhouse is in need of a star capable of carrying the sport ala Felix Trinidad and Hector Camacho. So much that the search stretched to the United States.

Danny Garcia has always been a Philadelphia fighter, born and raised in the United States. The non-Spanish speaking Garcia possesses a healthy resume and a boat-load of talent, but his problems began when he stopped focusing on Mauricio Herrera and paid his attention to a glamour shots-like promotion of his family’s Puerto Rican heritage. You see, right now Danny Garcia is a good name in the sport, but he’s not a Super Fight quality fighter fitting of seeing his tag on the marquee alongside, say, Floyd Mayweather Jr. However, what a fight (cough, cough, marketing event) that would be if Garcia suddenly had the rampant backing of the Boricua Nation.

Garcia’s Puerto Rican field test was a failure. Sure, he retained his title with a dubious points decision, but his adoptive "homecoming" was marred by the fact that Puerto Rican fans did not get to see a champion they could put their backing behind. Of course boxers like Lopez, Cotto, Trinidad, and Camacho had their own blemishes on their resumes, but they never had to campaign for recognition as Puerto Rican world champions. Their validity was never in question the way Garcia’s self-nomination appears.

Danny Garcia’s reputation as a Philly Fighter is legit and he should spare himself further issues with his identity crisis. That more than anything can cost him.

On Saturday, March 15, at Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez, Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Danny Garcia received a generous majority decision over Mauricio Herrera in a twelve round WBA/WBC super lightweight world title bout. The three judges scored the bout for the champion 116-112 twice and 114-114. Garcia notched his fifth title defense and raised his record to 28-0 (16). Herrera dipped to 20-4 (7), but gained further respect from the boxing world.

Garcia’s hold on the number one spot faltered, but he remained top dog at SecondsOut. Herrera climbed from ninth to fifth with the strong showing. Karim Mayfield was bumped from seventh to fourth. Cesar Rene Cuenca fell from eighth to ninth.

At Dynamo Palace of Sports in Krylatskoye, Moscow, Russia, Grigory Drozd blitzed Jeremy Ouana in one round of a cruiserweight bout. The end came at the 2:40 mark. Drozd kept his seven year win-streak intact and moved his ledger to 38-1 (27). Ouana crashed to 14-9 (3).

Drozd remained SecondsOut’s number seven ranked cruiserweight.

Also on the card, Rakhim Chakhkiev defeated Juho Haapoja by ninth round TKO in a cruiserweight bout. The end came at the :26 mark. Chakhkiev raised his dossier to 18-1 (13). Happoja fell to 20-5-1 (13).

Glazkov crashed the heavyweight rankings at SecondsOut by checking in at number six. Adamek fell from fourth to tenth. Carlos Takam was pushed out of the top ten for the time being.

Also on the move, Deontay Wilder claimed the number nine spot among SecondsOut’s top heavyweights after his first round KO of Malik Scott. Dereck Chisora exited the top ten to make room.

Also on the move, Sergio Thompson and Roman Martinez have made permanent moves to the lightweight division and no longer will be ranked in SecondsOut’s super featherweight rankings. Orlando Salido debuted in the number seven spot at 130 pounds. Diego Magdaleno climbed from tenth to ninth. Bryan Vazquez climbed back to the ten spot.

Kazuto Ioka has vacated his WBA light flyweight title to compete at a flyweight. Ioka debuted in the fifth spot at 112 pounds. Amnat Ruenroeng exited to make room. The previously ranked two through ten 108 pound contenders each climbed one spot. Raul Garcia returned to the top ten after ending a one year inactivity stretch. He is now ranked tenth.